The post-it says ‘2 super I charge nurse memories this week. 1) telling an irate CRNA to calm down 2) chasing everyone away from the desk because I can’t hear on the phone with 5 conversations going on at once.’
Yeah, this was evening shift in a nut shell.
I had an irate CRNA, who is named in the post-it note, no I will not name them. They were going on and on and on and on. About an imagined slight from the surgeon. There was no time for hand-holding and there there-ing the CRNA. There was a case to begin. I took 5 minutes and sequestered the surgeon and the CRNA as the tech and I counted and told them to hash it out. There was a patient that needed our help and I was not interested in a blow by blow conversation discussing the issue. They would have to be adults and handle it like adults. There was no other choice.
Sometimes you have to be the kindergarten monitor. I stopped short of sending them to their rooms without supper. Because patient was waiting.
Within four minutes they had the conversation they needed to have. And we could get on with the business of helping the patient.
No time was lost on this interaction and the patient was able to have their surgery.
I swear the OR desk has magnets in it. Kind of like a kitchen in a home, everyone congregates at the OR desk. Some are goofing off, some are awaiting the elevator, some are trying to work. hi, yeah, that’s me.
The phone rings and it is someone that I need to talk too.
But I can’t hear them. Because of the 5 different cross conversations going on.
In this instance I have no compunction with excusing myself a moment, muting the phone, and getting everyone at the desk away. I quick assign evening tasks that they know already need to be done and go back to the conversation on hold. With a silent desk area.
Sometimes you have to assign tasks that need to be done and, again, all adults here.
Yeah, shift work is often about being the adult in the room and facilitating talking. Or not talking as the case may be.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 